


My Beautiful Muse

by ReeLeeV



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fashion & Models, Alternate Universe - Photographer, Hyungki rise, M/M, manager!shownu, model!hyungwon, photographer!Kihyun
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-10
Updated: 2017-09-24
Packaged: 2018-11-12 10:22:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11159910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReeLeeV/pseuds/ReeLeeV
Summary: Kihyun is an upscale photographer with the most abstract of concepts. No one can ever fit them though, and the lack of the perfect model forces him to work mundane jobs just to make ends meet with his roommate Minhyuk, another struggling photographer in the big city. He's just about to hang up his camera, until he meets the most beautiful man in all of creation.





	1. Chapter 1

Yoo Kihyun sighs in exasperation, shaking his head at the trite concepts he's been forced to commit to film this past week. He has to remind himself that he had to do it, has to practically prostitute himself and his camera to these unoriginal hacks so he can make just his half of rent.

Of course, that doesn't make it any easier to do.

“Kihyunnie,” Minhyuk sing-songs, poking his head into the room. “I'm going out. Do you wanna come with? I'm planning on meeting up with Jooheonney and Kyunnie, and they're always good for the laugh that you so obviously need right now.” Kihyun turns to the slightly-older with a tired smile, shrugging his shoulders.

“I shouldn't, Minhyuk-ah,” he sighs, “but thanks for the offer. I need to stay and finish these prints.” Minhyuk hums, a half-frown replacing his sunny smile.

“You work yourself so hard, Kihyunnie,” Minhyuk says. “You should really go out and have some fun every once in a while…”

“Have fun tonight, Minhyuk-ah,” Kihyun tells him, not in the mood for another lecture about how much he's been neglecting his social life. All their friends think Kihyun's the worst nagger, but they've never gone to live with Minhyuk. The man really gives Kihyun a run for his money.

“Fine, fine,” Minhyuk sighs exasperatedly, waving a hand at his roommate. “I'm leaving, but don't blame me when you end up dying an old spinster-lady.” He then leaves, not even giving Kihyun the chance to respond. Not that he'd bother to, granted, but it'd have been nice to at least have a chance. Alas, Minhyuk always has to have the last word, especially where Kihyun is concerned.

 

“Where's Kihyun-hyung?” Changkyun asks, glancing back at the door Minhyuk had entered through with a pout. Minhyuk had been ten minutes late arriving at the bar, a sure sign that Kihyun wasn't with him. Though he expected it, Changkyun can't help but be disappointed.

“He was working last I saw him,” Minhyuk replies, opening a menu to see if he feels like eating anything. “I invited him to join us, but he spoke like he was on a tight schedule tonight.”

“Did he wait until last-minute to get some shoots in, again?” Jooheon asks with a chuckle. He turns to glance at Changkyun, and notices his doleful sigh. So, in an effort to cheer up his dongsaeng, he plucks up a discarded bottle cap on the table and flicks it at him. The attack sure shakes him out of his mood, judging by his shocked reaction. He blinks wildly, until he sees Jooheon's smirk. His eyes narrow, and he goes to pick up his own cap to flick at the older.

“He always tries to hold out for some amazing assignment,” Minhyuk sighs tiredly, “and then ends up mad about having to scramble to do some typical shoots at the last minute.” He pauses, chuckling lowly at Changkyun’s  expression as he readies his weapon. If Kihyun were here, he'd lecture them about doing such a thing in a public place. A part of Minhyuk misses that, because then he'd get to argue that the dongsaengs should do what they please. The moment seems a bit empty without that nagging little gremlin.

“Hyung’s too artistic to be stuck in this town,” Changkyun murmurs just before flicking the bottle cap right up to Jooheon's forehead. He smirks at the older’s surprised reaction, proud to have hit his target. “He always has these great ideas for his own photo shoots, but no one can ever pull them off… It's a shame, too, because I've seen his sketches, and—”

“You two seriously talk about work when you're done screwing?” Minhyuk asks curiously, causing Changkyun to blush like mad.

“W-We’re not like that!” Changkyun exclaims, huffing out an annoyed breath at the typical accusation. “I've t-told you, hyung, Kihyun-hyung and I are just friends…”

“But you want more,” Minhyuk says, more of a statement than a question, as a knowing smirk dances across his lips. Changkyun stammers out a rejection of his words, to which Minhyuk only chuckles lowly to himself.

“Hyung,” Jooheon interjects after taking a long drink of beer, “I don't think Kyunnie wants that kind of relationship from Kihyun-hyung. Maybe he did at one time, but not anymore.”

“I never did!” Changkyun declares. “You two just decided we'd make a cute couple and tried to throw us together!”

“Yah!” Minhyuk defends, reaching over to lightly hit the top of his head. “That's no way to talk to your hyungs!” Despite his words, a light chuckle escapes him before he sighs. “Though, I suppose you're right, Jooheonney. Maybe it's time we gave up on this Shorty Couple escapade...”

“Sh-Shorty Couple?!” Changkyun demands indignantly. “I'm not _that_ short, hyung.”

“You're shorter than Kihyunnie,” Minhyuk snickers, “and _that's_ pretty damn short…”

“No, I’m not,” Changkyun replies, slumping in his seat with another pout. 

“Well, we did measure to be sure,” Jooheon points out, laughing along with Minhyuk until he realizes what he's said. Changkyun lurches forward, an accusatory glare set in his eyes.

“ _When_ did you measure me?!”

“Ah,” Minhyuk sighs, his delighted smile turning nervous as his secret comes to light, “one night when we were all hanging out together. You and Kihyunnie were passed out on the couch, so we saw an opportunity to solve the mystery and took it.” Changkyun ‘hmmphs’ under his breath, and picks up a fry from his plate before throwing it at the older. Minhyuk barks out a laugh, picking it up and popping it into his mouth. He then changes the subject, another moment passing with zero nagging making Minhyuk feel a bit empty inside.

 

Kihyun sighs tiredly, finally able to package up his photos. He keeps telling himself that money is money, and the customers are happy so why does he have to be so narcissistic about it? He leaves the dark room for his own bedroom, squinting against the light. He slips the envelope of photos into his bag, and then crawls into bed, exhaustion seeping into his bones. He hated having to pull all-nighters like this, but the need for money has made it necessary.

 _One day_ , he thinks as he absentmindedly begins to sketch out a new concept idea, _I’ll find that perfect model, and I won't have to do this anymore. One day, I'll actually be able to have the kind of career I want. One day, everything sill be like it should._

He falls asleep soon after, eyelids feeling like lead and impossible to keep open.

 

Minhyuk returns to the apartment in the early morning. He goes to check in on Kihyun, to make sure that annoying hamster got some sleep for once, and is pleasantly surprised to find him on his bed. A surprise that goes away, however, at seeing he's fully dressed. Minhyuk sighs, rolling his eyes in exasperation. The least the guy could've done is taken his shoes off...

 He enters the man’s bedroom quietly, and moves to remove Kihyun's shoes and pants, figuring the younger would be more comfortable without those skin-tight ripped jeans he insists on wearing all the time. As he works, his eyes drift down to the papers littered across the sheets. He shakes his head at the younger, picking up the papers to take to his desk. His eyes drift across the page, and he can't help but smirk.

He honestly doesn't know what's so hard about finding that perfect model that's supposed to make everything fall into place for the photographer. The traits Kihyun always uses to describe him are pretty average for those in the modeling profession: Dark eyes, full lips, tall and lean… Minhyuk could name at least ten clients off the top of his head that he's photographed that have that kind of physique. He's even tried helping Kihyun find this magical model in the past, but the younger man never thought anyone was quite good enough for the concept.

Minhyuk shakes his head in exasperation. Changkyun had been right before, Kihyun didn't belong in this town of sell-outs. He’s much too good of a photographer to get stuck in this town. The thought pains his heart dearly, for he doesn't want Kihyun to move, but honestly if things keep going the way they are, he may not even have a choice…

Minhyuk goes to his own room, sighing heavily. He changes into pajamas and snuggles into bed, hoping that day never comes when Kihyun announces that he has to move.


	2. Chapter 2

Kihyun leans back in his chair, stretching his arms towards the ceiling. An exasperated groan escapes him as he moves to rub at his eyes, inadvertently shoving up his glasses in the process. He stands, deciding that maybe a change of scenery would help him refocus. He's been working on photo concepts for hours now, and nothing he's been sketching for the past few minutes has been up to his standards. So, with that in mind, he leaves his room, eyes widening in surprise at seeing the crowd in the living room.

“Hyung!” Changkyun greets, beaming widely up at the older. Minhyuk lazily turns his gaze on the TV to his roommate.

“Nice of you to grace us with your presence, Kihyun-ah,” he comments, smirking at the younger.

“I didn't know you two were here,” Kihyun says, smiling age goes to ruffle Changkyun's hair and tap Jooheon's snapback. The two sit on the floor, close to the TV, eyes glued to the screen as they battle each other’s avatars. He goes to the kitchen, ignoring Minhyuk's sass as always, and fixes himself a cup of coffee before going to sit next to the oldest in the room.

“How's your work going?” Minhyuk asks, leaning over to snuggle with Kihyun. He pouts, watching Jooheon as he focuses on the video game.

“Not as great as I'd like,” Kihyun answers. He nods toward their two dongsaengs, a questioning look in his eyes.

“I _thought_ he wanted to come over and hang with _me_ ,” Minhyuk murmurs. “He texted asking if he could come over and play video games, and then next thing I know him _and_ Kkungie are in our living room.” Kihyun sucks in a breath through his teeth, clicking his tongue at Jooheon. Minhyuk had been crushing on Jooheon for a while now, so he probably thought the younger was just asking to hang out alone together. “He even asked if you were here, so I thought maybe he wanted us to be alone… I guess he was just asking for Kkungie’s benefit…”

“I told you Minhyuk-ah—”

“I know, I know,” Minhyuk says, waving a dismissive hand. “I've finally accepted the fact that you and Kkungie won't happen… But, that doesn't change that he follows you around like a lost puppy every chance he gets.”

“He sees me like a mom,” Kihyun explains, hiding the hurt in his voice expertly well. Minhyuk had been right to assume that at least one of them had feelings for the other when he started trying to throw them together, but he had been barking up the wrong tree… Kihyun had never said anything, because he'd always known Changkyun didn't like him like that. After all, why would he? Kihyun doesn't consider himself all that special without his talent with a camera.

“Yah!” Minhyuk calls, pulling at Kihyun's cheek to get his attention. Kihyun starts, and glances over confusedly at his roommate. “You're doing that thing again where you start to daydream in the middle of a conversation,” Minhyuk explains. “Have you not been sleeping well lately?” Kihyun tries for a small smile, shaking his head.

“Not really,” he murmurs, low enough for the others not to hear. Even if they did, he thinks, they wouldn't do much about it because of how focused they are on their game. “I've been…” He pauses, trying to find the right words as he pats his lips. “I've been struggling with a hard decision lately, and it's been keeping me up at night.”

“Is it major?” Minhyuk asks, clearly growing concerned. Kihyun nods, sighing heavily. He doesn't miss the hurt light skipping through Minhyuk's eyes, but he doesn't ask about it, either. If Minhyuk wants to talk about whatever is bothering him, he will. That's one of the great things about living with a loudmouth, they don't try to hide things from you.

 

Kihyun returns to his room after staying out in the living room long enough to feed the others and send Changkyun and Jooheon home for the night. He throws himself onto his bed, not really wanting to get back to sketching at the moment. He merely stares up at his ceiling, thoughts running through his mind like a tormenting merry-go-round.

The decision he had spoken of earlier to Minhyuk _is_ a pretty big decision. One that could change his life forever, in fact. His eyes wander instinctively to the camera sitting on his desk, a thoughtful pout coming to him.

 _I should just give it up_ … he thinks, heart growing heavy. _I need a steady income, so that Minhyuk and I don't get worried about rent all the time. I'm wasted on all these trivial projects, anyway. The only way I can get out of this is either moving or quitting, and I'm most certainly not moving. That's a risk I'm not willing to take. At least here I could find some part-time jobs… Maybe I could go back to school to get a different degree…_

Kihyun turns on his other side, his mental ramble having reached its typical end. He hates being so unsure about things. He has to make a decision, and soon.

 _I’ll give it till the end of next month_ , he finally decides. _If I have to scramble again to make rent last minute because of a lack of satisfactory projects, I'll hang up my camera and get a mundane job or two._

He squeezes his eyes shut, sending up a silent prayer that he won't have to do that. He prays that he’ll find that perfect model soon, and that he can spend the rest of his life doing the kind of concepts he wants to do.

It'd be nice if life turned out in such a lovely way just for him.

 

“I'm telling you guys,” Minhyuk hisses, fingers fidgeting nervously on the table. “He's going to move away! He told me weeks ago he was struggling with a difficult decision, and now he's starting to collect boxes in his room…”

Changkyun's heart falls all the way down to the center of the world. He'd hoped it wouldn't come to this. He'd prayed that Kihyun would find a reason to stay…

“Maybe he's just cleaning out his room,” Jooheon reasons. “You know, getting rid of old junk. He'd have told you beforehand if he plans to move. I mean, come on. He isn't the type to just pick up and leave, leaving his roommate high and dry.”

Minhyuk hmmphs thoughtfully, his mind wanting to accept such logic yet his heart telling him it's wrong.

“Just ask him, hyung,” Changkyun says, his pupils shaking slightly. “Please, ask him tonight if he's moving or not.” Minhyuk hums, regretting having brought this up around Changkyun. He knows how attached the younger is to Kihyun, and the news that he's packing his things definitely would've been distressful to him.

“I'll ask,” Minhyuk relents, more for Changkyun's benefit than his own. “He'll be out late tonight doing a high-end shoot, so it'll be some time tomorrow. But, I _will_ ask him.”

Jooheon and Changkyun nod, satisfied with the result. Jooheon opens up a menu, Changkyun's eyes drifting down to look as well. He makes a pun about one of the foods listed, sending Jooheon into a fit of chuckles. Minhyuk can't help but smile at the site, his distressed heart lightening slightly at seeing Jooheon's dimpled smile. He could live his whole life without a care in the world if that smile could just be his forever…

 


	3. Chapter 3

Kihyun sighs tiredly, checking how the lighting looks through his lens one more time. He's been at this shoot for hours, and it's all grown very tedious. He took the job because, once again, he's scrambling last minute to come up with his half of rent. Granted, the job sounded a bit fun when they called asking if he'd do it, but it's turned out to be just another trite fashion shoot. Luckily, they've gotten to the last model, and he can finally go home and get some much-needed rest. He can also, at last, pack up the last of his photography equipment. His personal deadline is up, and he's decided that this shoot will be his last.

“Hyungwon-ssi, you're up,” the planner of the shoot announces, beckoning towards a shadowy area of the room. Kihyun turns at the name, curious. He had heard of this model before. Apparently, his almost ethereal looks have made him one of the most sought-after in the business. He had been on a hiatus for the past couple of months, but apparently he's returned to the business.

Kihyun almost forgets to breathe as the tall, thin man of his dreams walks out of the shadows and onto the set. Well, more like the man of every work sketch he's ever done. He'd be _perfect_ for the concepts Kihyun has been drawing out since forever ago.

He can't believe it. Where has this man been his entire career? How had he not seen him somewhere before?

“Thank you for all your hard work today,” the man suddenly says, only a few steps away from Kihyun. Kihyun's so surprised he jumps where he stands. Since when was he so close? An amused smile plays its way across his thick lips at the photographer’s reaction.

“Sorry,” Kihyun says, doing his best to sound friendly, “it's been a long day.” He pauses to bow as he says, “And thank you for being here, I've heard some great things about your work…” Hyungwon shrugs, cocking his head to the side slightly.

“I hope it all turns out well,” is all he says, and then he walks away. Kihyun licks his lips as he watches the almost lazy way the model walks, unable to keep from sucking in a breath through his front teeth in approval. God, that man is attractive. He makes a mental note to speak with his manager after the shoot so he can start—

Images of his packed up photo gear flash to the front of his mind. He hmmphs to himself, realizing he's going to have to unpack all of it as soon as possible so he can begin working with Hyungwon. Because, one way or another, he will have Hyungwon pose in his concepts. He _will_ get this model into his concepts, and prove his taste isn't outlandish at all. He'll finally make a name for himself amongst other photographers, and break out in the avant-garde scene.

He'll finally be a _real_ photographer.

“We're ready when you are, Kihyun-ssi,” the manager says, breaking Kihyun from his thoughts. Kihyun nods determinedly, focusing his camera on Hyungwon's beautiful face.

 _My beautiful muse_ , he thinks wistfully, _I’ll have you in my studio soon enough, and we’ll work together to prove ourselves to our peers. We’ll prove we’re worth more than anyone ever bargained for…_

 

Getting the attention of the model’s agent is almost impossible once the shoot is over. Kihyun mentally prepares a speech of how he isn't a creeper merely asking for a hookup, how he's a real photographer with credentials who wants to hire his client. However, the muscle man with the soft face is hurrying Hyungwon off the set almost as soon as the model is finished working.

“Hyunwoo-ssi!” Kihyun calls after him, having learned the name from the roster list of those involved with the shoot. The agent looks around confusedly, his cool gaze dancing with a questioning light at sighting the short photographer trying to get his attention. Hyunwoo turns to murmur something to his client, who slowly nods and shuffles off towards the door.

“Sorry,” the man says as Kihyun nears him, “but I'm not taking on any other clients right now.” This gives Kihyun pause. Surely this man knows he's the photographer, and most certainly _not_ a model, right? He shakes his head, doing his best to breathe normally after practically running after this man.

“No,” Kihyun says, “that's not what I'm about to ask. I'd like to hire your client, Chae Hyungwon, for a personal project of mine.” The agent bristles at this, shuffling his feet slightly. Kihyun sucks in a breath through his teeth, having expected this kind of response. “No, not like that.” He quickly reaches into his pocket for his wallet, pulling out a business card. “Look, I can see you're in a hurry, so call me tomorrow, and I'll give you the address to my studio. We can meet up there to discuss terms and salary.”

“You're quite the bold little photographer, aren't you,” Hyunwoo murmurs thoughtfully, glancing between the  business card that's just been shoved into his hand and the man standing before him. Kihyun frowns at this, his brow creasing. “I'll run it by my client, see if he's interested,” the agent quickly adds. “If he is, I'll call. If not, well, it was nice meeting you.” He then turns on his heel and leaves, making Kihyun sigh deeply.

He swears, he won't stop trying until the model agrees to to work with him.

 

“What was all that about, hyung?” Hyungwon asks as Hyunwoo gets into the driver’s seat and starts the car. Hyunwoo hums, glancing into the rearview mirror to meet Hyungwon's gaze.

“That photographer wants to hire you for a personal project,” Hyunwoo explains, putting the car in gear. “I told him that—”

“I'll do it,” Hyungwon says, perking up slightly at the mention of the cute photographer from the shoot. “Call him tomorrow and get the details. I want my schedule rearranged if needed.” Hyunwoo merely blinks confusedly at his reflection, nodding as he turns his eyes to the road.

Hyungwon turns his head to the window, staring at the passing scenery. There had been something about that photographer that had intrigued him. The man’s reputation had definitely preceded him in the business. Yoo Kihyun is known to the community as a _great_ photographer, someone who's perfect for last-minute projects. His ability to pump out results that look like they take weeks even though he only spent a night on them is almost uncanny, so Hyungwon hears. He's been wanting to run into him, meet him _somehow._ He’s glad he's finally been afforded the chance, and all the better if he gets another job with the man so soon.

A small smile plays its way across the model’s lips, and he chuckles at his own reflection. This may just be the fun that's been missing from his life ever since—

The smile falters, memories of his life from a month ago coming to him all too easily. He clears his throat, turning away from his own reflection and squeezing his eyes shut.

 _No more tears over it_ , he reminds himself. _I'm diving back into work and not sparing a single moment more crying over him. I'm not wasting anymore time over it…_


	4. Chapter 4

Kihyun awakens late into the next day to his ringtone blaring through the peace of his room. He struggles to find the device, and almost ignores the call at seeing the number isn’t in his contacts. However, something tells him he should get the call. It could very well be about one of those applications he’s sent in for a part-time job, after all. He sighs in defeat, and rubs at his eyes to ready himself for talking to someone before answering.

“Hello,” he greets, doing his best to keep his tone light, “this is Yoo Kihyun.”

“Kihyun-ssi,” a vaguely familiar voice replies, causing Kihyun to raise his brow questioningly. “This is Son Hyunwoo. We spoke yesterday about you possibly hiring my client? Well, I spoke to him about it and he’s interested, so I’d be more than happy to come see your studio to discuss a contract.”

“Ah, yes,” Kihyun says, eyes growing wide. He remembers suddenly that he doesn’t technically have a studio anymore… After all, it’d only been a storage unit, anyway, and he’s using that now for all his photo equipment. “Do you have something to write with?” The man on the other end hums, and Kihyun quickly gives him the address, mentally figuring out a time that’s far enough away that’ll give him the necessary time to clean out the space.

“Great,” Hyunwoo replies. “I have thirty minutes to spare before my next appointment, so I’ll be there soon.” He then hangs up, leaving Kihyun holding his phone with a look of utter panic set on his face. Suddenly, there’s a knock at the door, and Minhyuk pokes his head into the room.

“Hey, I thought I heard you,” his roommate greets, giving him a sunny smile. “I was hoping we could talk, when you have a minute. It’s about—”

“Sorry, Minhyuk-ah!” Kihyun interrupts, bolting out of bed and rushing past the slightly-older. God is it a good thing he fell asleep in his clothes last night, because he most certainly does not have time to change. “We’ll talk later, I swear, but I have somewhere I need to be.” He doesn’t even wait for a reply before shoving on his shoes and rushing out the door, leaving a very befuddled Minhyuk in his wake.

 

Kihyun races to the storage unit, which, if he’s to be completely honest, isn’t exactly in the best part of town. But, it’s always been the only thing within his budget, so you take what you can get. He thanks his lucky stars when he pulls up to the unit and there’s no other cars around, because that means he still has a bit of time to make the unit look presentable. He jumps out of his car and unlocks the pull-down door, allowing it to roll up to the top.

He gets to work, pushing around boxes and moving some things to his car. He manages to uncover his old desk, and wipes it off with a spare hand-towel. He sets up a photo station complete with a back screen and lighting, and hooks up said screen to his computer to make it look like it’s been used recently. All in all, he’s quite impressed with himself for all that he manages to get done before Hyunwoo pulls up, his client in tow.

Kihyun’s honestly a bit surprised to see the model with him, but he doesn’t say anything of it. He merely pushes his hair back in an effort to seem a bit more presentable, and hopes his clothes aren’t too wrinkly. Hyungwon glances at the photographer with an almost amused expression, though he doesn’t say anything as Hyunwoo and Kihyun exchange pleasantries.

 

Kihyun shows them around the “studio”—which, granted, doesn’t take long—and soon they’re all sitting around Kihyun’s desk. Kihyun, luckily, has a draft of a typical contract in the desk ready for them to go over.

They go over pay and work periods. Hyungwon seems to have a surprisingly open schedule, since they agree to whatever time and day Kihyun asks for. He also seems astonishingly open to whatever pay Kihyun can concede to. So, by the time they decide everything and the two visitors have to leave, Kihyun is fairly certain they don’t have any hopes for this side-project.

The photographer can’t help but feel defiant about this. Though, he doesn’t let it get him down. No, he’ll prove to them that working with him is worth their time. He’ll get through the first shoot, sell it to a big company, and prove that this is the best project they’ve ever taken on.

 

“I honestly don’t see why you’re so adamant about working for that photographer,” Hyunwoo sighs, handing Hyungwon a bottle of water while he drives. They’d left the studio a bit later than he’d meant for them to, so now they’re rushing to the model’s next site.

“I don’t know,” Hyungwon mumbles in reply. “He’s got a good reputation in the community. Plus, he’s cute, so…”

“Hyungwon-ah,” Hyunwoo warns, his eyes flashing to meet the younger’s in the rearview mirror, “if you’re trying to get a rebound guy through this project, I feel as if I have to warn you against it. Just think of what happened the last time you got involved with someone through work.” Hyungwon’s expression goes dark at the reminder, and Hyunwoo immediately regrets what he’s said.

Hyungwon breaks his gaze on his manager, and he looks out the window with a small huff. Hyunwoo tightens his grip on the steering wheel, making a mental note to buy the younger some jjajangmyeon later as an apology.

 

Kihyun sighs heavily as he goes to sit on the couch, closing his eyes as he towel-dries his hair. He hadn’t stayed in the unit for very long after his two guests had left, but he _had_ gone to take a shower immediately upon getting home. After all, all that last-minute cleaning had worked up quite the sweat before.

Minhyuk suddenly stomps into the room, and stops right in front of Kihyun with his hands defiantly set on his hips. Kihyun opens his eyes and raises a questioning brow, thoroughly confused as to the reason for his roommate’s attitude.

“Kihyun-ssi,” he says, a small pout coming to his lips, “I really wish you would just rip the Band-Aid off and tell me that you’re moving already.”

“… What?”

“Don’t play dumb with me,” Minhyuk says with a roll of his eyes. “I know you’ve been packing up your stuff these past few weeks.”

“I was just packing up my photo equipment…” Kihyun tells him slowly. Though, he can’t help the breathy chuckle that escapes him at the notion. “I was going to give up on the career for a while, but I changed my mind.” He laughs again as he adds, “Honestly, Minhyuk-ah, you come up with the craziest notions sometimes. Why would I move away??”

“Because of all the crappy photography jobs around here…” Minhyuk mumbles, feeling entirely foolish as his roommate laughs. “So… So you’re not moving?”

Suddenly, the front door bursts open, and both residents jump in surprise as their younger friends, Jooheon and Changkyun, throw themselves at Kihyun.

“Please don’t leave us, hyung!” Jooheon cries out, hugging Kihyun around his middle.

“Minhyuk-hyung called us!” Changkyun explains as he buries his face into Kihyun’s chest. “He told us you were running around like you’ve found a new place! Please, _please_ don’t leave us, hyung! We can’t survive without you!!”

Kihyun shoots Minhyuk an accusatory look, to which Minhyuk can only shrug helplessly. The slightly-younger rolls his eyes exasperatedly, setting his hands on each of his dongsaengs’ heads.

“I’m not moving,” he tells them gently, willfully ignoring the way butterflies flutter around in his stomach at Changkyun’s closeness. He fights back a sigh, noting in the back of his mind how he clearly isn’t as over his crush on the younger as he’d thought. Changkyun, as oblivious as ever to Kihyun’s thoughts, pulls away a little to glance at Minhyuk with an almost accusing glare. Minhyuk chuckles nervously at his dongsaeng’s look.

“I… uh…” he mutters, smiling nervously. “I may have jumped to conclusions a little…”

“Hyung!” Changkyun shouts, pouting full-on as he gets up and stomps over to Minhyuk, who giggles a little before running from the room. Jooheon pulls away, as well, though he doesn’t get up. He merely laughs softly at Minhyuk’s antics, and shakes his head with a sigh. He glances over at Kihyun, which gives the older a small jolt.

He smiles at Jooheon, knowing well the look in the younger’s eyes.

He pats his back reassuringly, silently telling him that he doesn’t need to wait on Minhyuk anymore, that the older is sure of his feelings for him. Jooheon perks up a little, fully getting his message, and gets up slowly to follow the others.

“I’m glad you’re not moving, hyung,” Jooheon tells him, shooting him a small smile. Kihyun chuckles, giving him a nod, and he continues on his way to call peace among the two yelling men.

Kihyun laughs again, rolling his eyes at his roommate. How could he ever move away, anyway? He could never leave these people behind, not for anything.


End file.
